East Naples retirees try forest therapy at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Residents of The Arlington, a retirement community in East Naples, tried "shinrin yoku," a Japanese practice of forest therapy, in observance of National Senior Health and Fitness Day on May 31.
Shelby Reynolds/Naples Daily News

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Residents of The Arlington, a retirement community in East Naples, guided by fitness coordinator Mildred Octelus, try shinrin yoku, a type of forest therapy, in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. Shinrin yoku promotes well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other natural environments.(Photo: Luke Franke/Naples Daily News)Buy Photo

Among the air plants, musty boardwalks and ancient, bald cypress trees, Mildred Octelus invited her seekers to bathe in the forest.

They saw leaves fall from overhead in a slow breeze.

They heard birds chirp and insects hum their rhythmic song.

They smelled the rich pine needles.

On Wednesday about a dozen residents from The Arlington retirement community in East Naples celebrated National Senior Health and Fitness Day with forest therapy at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Octelus led them through a healing Japanese practice called shinrin yoku, which was developed in the 1980s to alleviate stress.

"The health benefits in just being out in nature, even if it’s only for half an hour, are phenomenal," said Octelus, fitness coordinator at The Arlington. "You are able to reap the benefits for weeks after being out of nature just once."

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In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, in a moment of silence, cup their ears to take in the many sounds of the swamp during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

Connee Zeman, left, and Barbare Hawthorne, as part of their forest therapy session, take a moment to smell various foliage during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

Residents of The Arlington, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus smiles as she guides residents of The Arlington through a group therapy session called "Shinrin Yoku", also known as forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments. Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, including Dorothy Caswell, cup their ears in a moment of silence to take in the many sounds of the swamp during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day residents of The Arlington, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

Residents of The Arlington, including Marcia Nichols, far right, guided by Fitness Coordinator Mildred Octelus, take part in "Shinrin Yoku", a form a forest therapy, during a guided tour of Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Naples. Shinrin Yoku supports well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments.
Luke Franke/Naples Daily News

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Spending time outdoors, Octelus said, can reduce blood pressure, pulse rates and stress hormones while boosting the immune system and energy levels.

Shinrin yoku takes participants through a series of invitations that use the senses of hearing, sight and smell to experience healing and preventive care.

So on Wednesday, The Arlington residents strolled along the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary boardwalks on the way to an outdoor amphitheater. Along the way they "shook off the road dust" — the first invitation of shinrin yoku.

"Shake off all your stress," Octelus told her participants, "because we are about to become one with Mother Nature, and she does not like stress."

In the amphitheater, surrounded by new growth of cypress trees, they closed their eyes and gently swayed back and forth. Octelus encouraged them to tune their attention to their skin, to the temperature of the air, the humidity and the wind.

"Gratitude" was the second invitation.

"Now open your eyes and see what it is that you're seeing. Is there something you didn't notice before? Look up into the trees. Do you see the birds? The leaves moving?" Octelus asked.

"Really taking the time to just let go. As you're looking around, what is the pace of nature? ... Sometimes you don't notice things because we move so fast."

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Residents of The Arlington, a retirement community in East Naples, cup their ears to listen to sounds of nature in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Wednesday, May 31, 2017.(Photo: Luke Franke/Naples Daily News)

They tried "deer ears," cupping hands around their ears and focusing in on the direction of sounds around them — a bird overhead or an insect buzzing by.

During "sniff it," they explored their surroundings with their noses, smelling nearby leaves and branches.

Barbara Hawthorne discovered pungent pine needles.

"I love it out here," she said. "I like to be outside — the different sounds and the different odors and the plants. It's exciting when you do actually see something."

During the "fox walk," in which participants step toe first, alert, like a fox, they found red-tailed hawks, baby alligators and cardinals. And on the trek back, Shirley Carr pointed out a collection of delicate white swamp lilies, which she didn't notice on the first leg of the excursion.

"I wasn't seeing anything different than green and brown," she said. "Maybe it worked. We're just observing more."

As they chatted on their walk out of the swamp, the residents chatted and pointed out curious finds.

"It's so peaceful," Carr said.

"It is very peaceful," Marcia Nichols added.

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Connee Zeman writes down the common names of animals that a group of East Naples retirees saw during their guided tour of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Wednesday, May 31, 2017.(Photo: Luke Franke/Naples Daily News)